Tuesday, Nov. 16
After a marathon debate, the Madison Common Council approves the 2017 budget. It passes a $300 million operating budget, increasing taxes by about $80 on the average home. It also passes the largest capital budget in city history, at $369 million. Surviving the chopping block are a new public market on East Washington Avenue, renovations to the Madison Municipal Building and a new Midtown police station. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin later signs the budget despite “not being pleased” with all the items added by the council.
While speaking at UW-Madison, conservative Milwaukee radio host Charlie Sykes says “racism and xenophobia” were normalized during Donald Trump’s successful run for president, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. Sykes says Trump’s tapping alt-right media mogul Steve Bannon as a top strategist in the White House “will have real consequences.”
The state Senate race between Democratic minority leader Jennifer Shilling and GOP challenger Dan Kapanke is still too close to call. The Associated Press reports that the unofficial results in the 32nd district show Shilling up by just 58 votes (out over 89,000 cast ballots). A recount is expected. Currently, Republicans hold a 20-to-12-seat majority in Wisconsin’s upper house.
Wednesday, Nov. 14
A federal judge orders the release of 27-year-old Brendan Dassey from prison on Friday, Nov. 18. Dassey’s conviction for the 2007 murder of Teresa Halbach was overturned in August by U.S. District Judge William E. Duffin. Dassey was featured in the hit Netflix documentary, Making a Murderer. But Attorney General Brad Schimel files an emergency motion to stay Dassey’s release until he can appeal Duffin’s decision.
